


Tales of Aquatica

by Aegis_of_Abel



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Emil is a Merman, F/M, Human and Merman, Legends of the Sea, Marta is Marta, Mash-Up of Tales Characters, Mermaids, Modern Setting Has Supernatural Elements, Romance Between The Land And Sea, seaside town
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21732583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aegis_of_Abel/pseuds/Aegis_of_Abel
Summary: Emil is a Merman living under the sea, Marta is a fisherman's daughter living on land. Two that were never meant to meet may change the entire status quo of the world they live in, challenging the wishes told of a legend long past.
Relationships: Emil Castagnier/Marta Lualdi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 8





	1. The Tragedy of the Sea's Child

Fishermen tell of legends about the ocean. In one such legend it is said that the sea used to be personified by the avatar of a young woman. This woman was the essence of the ocean’s beauty and she ruled over the humans that lived under the sea, but as is the nature of one from the ocean, she longed for the land.

One day, unbeknownst to her subjects she fled her underwater prison of a palace and stepped foot on land for the very first time, the feeling of the fluffy sand between her toes was everything she had dreamed it would be. In her excitement to walk upon the land she ventured further.

As she walked upon the beach her beauty caught the attention of a local fisherman. In awe of her beauty the man couldn’t help himself, he approached her and greeted her as a friend. The woman was overjoyed to have met someone from land so soon, she insisted in childlike wonder that the man show her the wonders of the land, to which the man had no complaints.

Hours turned to days and days turned to weeks. The woman of the sea fell in love with the fisherman’s stories and the fisherman was entranced by the personification of the sea, their love in turn conceived a child.

It was not long at all before the young woman was found by her subjects, taken whilst her love was out on the sea, she was forced to return to her underwater prison. For months she wept for the man, only finding solace in the child that she would eventually birth.

When the time came and she finally gave birth, it was to that of a baby girl, who’s beauty was only rivalled by that of her mother. As the child had inherited the beauty of her mother, she had also inherited something of her father’s… she could not breathe water.

The child was kept alive, safe in the air pocket of a giant clam, though this was only a temporary solution. The woman would have to give up the only thing that linked her at all to her love of the land. In her grief she took her own life, evaporating into the sea from where she was born.

That night, whilst the ocean grieved for their lost goddess, a change also occurred in the humans that lived in the ocean. Where they once had two legs now remained a scaly tail, for the goddess left her people bound to the water just as she had been. Whether this was done out of spite for her entrapment, or remorse that one might never make the same mistake that she had, none can say.

The child was delivered to her father that lived upon land, with this the news that the woman he loved had taken her life. The man was charged with taking care of this child, but when he looked upon her face all he could see was the beauty of the ocean. He jumped from the nearby cliff that night to return to his one true love, as for the child, her fate is unknown.

Legends say that one day the ocean will return for her child, only then may she ever forgive humanity of land and sea both. This is the tale of how the people of the land and sea, once living in unison, were separated forever…


	2. Shifting Tides

Light shimmered down to the sea floor from the window that was the waves above. A young blonde merman with yellow-green eyes, lightly tanned skin and a tail that faded from black to blue, kept to the shadows that the palace walls cast as he swam out unnoticed. Today was Emil’s seventeenth birthday, an event that he should be present for, but he just wasn’t good around so many people. If he could have his way he would just have a quiet event with his closest friends, but his father, the emperor insisted on a grand event.

The palace grounds were rather empty currently, it did make sense given that everyone was in the main hall, but there was naturally the odd guard or two, and this made it problematic for the blonde-haired youth. Luckily everyone seemed to be blissfully unaware of his absence at his own party and so he swam to his usual sneak out spot, a piece of crumpled wall by the left rear great wall, quite easily. If anyone found this hole and patched it up he would have problems, but for now he was as free as a fish. He swam away from the palace, making good distance by the seconds.

“Master! If you’re going to sneak off you should at least let me know first so I can escort you!” A bubbly voice yelled from behind him. At first Emil jumps, but his panic is relieved when he sees the source of the voice swimming up to him. The merman had spiky black hair with white ends, slightly paler skin, red eyes and a black tail with silver scales that create a chain like design. It was Kocis, Emil’s overeager retainer flashing him a big grin.

“You don’t need to be so formal Kocis, I’ve told you a hundred times.” Emil says back to the younger boy with a chuckle. Kocis was one year younger than Emil and had been raised in the palace alongside him, they were more or less as brothers. “You of all people understand how I am with crowds, especially those there to put all their attention to me… I had to get away.”

“I know mas- Emil!” The boy says, correcting himself before he fell into habit again. The two continued to swim, it was clear that Kocis wouldn’t leave even if Emil wanted him to, so he just continued with his original plan, to visit the surface.

~

Above the surface a boat sat on the rocking waters, and on board stood the strawberry blonde girl, tying knots and preparing the nets. Brute was the head fisherman of Palmacosta’s fisherman’s council, and his daughter was Marta, a girl eager to help her father whenever it came to the work. She looked out to the ocean whilst she worked away on her own small boat, the ocean always filled her with a sense of ease. She was drawn to the ocean, she loved to be on the waves and that’s why she needed no convincing when it came to get up early to go fishing.

“I wonder how many little fishies I’ll catch today…” The girl hummed to herself as she went about her work. The only downside she had to these little trips was that she lacked company, she would often find herself singing to herself to pass the time. 

Marta jumped as an electronic alarm started playing, her phone was ringing and the name on the caller ID read ‘Ari’. She swiped to answer and greeted her best friend Arietta with a good morning. 

“Good morning Marta!” Arietta replied with a cheery tone. Arietta had been Marta’s best friend since elementary school, whilst the girl was generally more closed off and antisocial, when it came to Marta she was like a completely different person. “Will you be attending school today?”

“Of course, Ari! I’m already dressed and ready, just my morning chores.” The girl replied to her friend cheerfully. Her uniform was very reminiscent to that of a sailor’s, it was only fitting that be the school’s uniform when their town was so close to the ocean.

“Well I shall leave you to it. See you at school Marta!” The girl on the other line said before hanging up. Marta smiled as she put her phone back into her schoolbag that laid on the ground in the boat’s small cabin.

As the girl went about her work gleaming eyes seemed to peer up at her from underneath the waves, though she hadn’t noticed herself.

~

“Hey Emil, why are you so fascinated by the surface anyway?” Kocis asked of his master as they swam upward, he had often asked Emil the question but every time the answer seemed to change. “N-Not that there is anything wrong with that M-Master!”

“It’s fine Kocis…” The other teen chuckled as he stared at the approaching barrier between the sky and the sea. “I guess I’m just drawn to it… Sorry, I can’t really explain it…”

“I see Master, I have to say I enjoy it up there as well, but I cannot claim to be drawn to it.” Kocis replied, having fallen straight back into habit again by calling his best friend ‘Master’. Emil had not seemed to mind; he knew that he meant well. 

It was not long that they arrived at the water’s surface, and witnessed the horrifying sight that ensued…

~

“Ahhhhh!” A strawberry blonde girl shrieked as she was pulled from the deck of her boat, not by a person, not even by one of the merfolk like Emil. Her assailant had eight appendages, two of which were used to bind her mouth. Only seconds had passed, and the octopus was making off with the girl with frightening speed for one of its species.

“Kocis! We have to help her!” Emil kind of blurted out without thinking, the response from his best friend was a nod of agreement and a face of determination. Whilst Emil didn’t care for his title as prince of the sea, he still felt an obligation to any humans that may get harmed from denizens of the sea, and that octopus didn’t look right. Without a second thought they both gave chase. “Kocis! Do you have your dual blade?”

“I never leave home without it!” The other boy grinned as he pulled a black staff from the scarf like belt that wrapped around where his waist met his tail. All it took was one button and two blades extended from each end. “I’ll leave you to ice duty!”

By ice duty Kocis had referred to Emil’s elemental magic, a trait passed down in the royal family. He would often use it alongside Kocis if they ever found themselves in a scrape whilst out not staying put in the palace. Emil nodded in agreement as they both sped up, closing the gap between themselves and the tentacled assailant.

The octopus seemed to be headed towards a grotto off the shore of the main beach, its intentions ever vaguer now, why even steal a girl to begin with? In any case before long the two had the creature cornered in the grotto.

The octopus tossed the unconscious girl onto the sand of the grotto, returning to the water as if it intended to take up arms with the two boys. It stretched out two of its arms and used them to ensnare the prince’s wrists, to which Kocis would intervene by bringing his blade down on the extended tentacles, just missing as they retracted. With his wrists free Emil shot a beam of ice from his palm, aiming directly at the tentacles that assisted in the creature’s movement. 

With the creature substantially slowed, Emil wasted no time in putting the rest of the creature on ice. The encounter was over not long after it started, aside from abnormal speed the creature couldn’t put up much of a fight, and the way its eyes glowed red couldn’t be erased from Emil or Kocis’s minds. 

“Nice one partner!” Kocis said as he gave Emil a high five. When it came to combat it was as if Kocis was a different person around Emil, a fact that the prince appreciated. “What do you want to do with him?”

Emil thought for a moment, it would be useful to find out from it why it targeted a human. An unspoken rule of the sea was that of keeping peace with land, so why would this one up and kidnap a human? 

“Would you be able to take it back home Kocis? I’m sorry to make you do this…” Emil replied, Kocis nodded in understanding though, he knew what his friend needed to do.

“Don’t stay out too late Master!” Kocis said with a grin as he turned to swim off with his new cargo, yelling as he swam off “I better get details when you get back!”

Emil laughed at Kocis’ attempt at humour before turning to the shore, the girl still laid there on the sand, her face looking to the sky above, eyes still closed. He made his way up onto the sand bank by pulling himself across the ground. It would be a pain to drag himself back later, but this girl needed his help now.

When he finally reached her he let out a small gasp when he saw her face, it was like something from a mural. He also noted that she was soaked through, and laying on the damp sand would not help her condition. Emil grabbed the small of her back and the back of her neck with his arms and tried to shimmy himself further up until somehow he managed to get them both to dryer sand. 

Emil was currently feeling many different kinds of emotions, he felt embarrassment from being so close to a girl, he felt concern, he felt anxiety about the idea of the girl waking up whilst he was still here.

As far as Emil could tell it was better to keep their existence a secret from humans. It wasn’t exactly a rule, it just caused many conspiracies amongst humans when one of us was found, often leading to it just being passed off as a myth anyway. There was also a sense of longing, some part of him wanted this girl to open her eyes right now, see him leaning over her and accept him. It was a crazy thought, by all accounts he shouldn’t even still be here, and he knew that, he just couldn’t bring himself to leave either. At least an hour passed, and Emil just sat there with the girl, hoping his body was offering her some level of warmth.

~

When Marta did finally awake she found herself laying on something soft, pressed up against something warm and fleshy. She turned her head and came to face a boy with light blonde hair, his face and chest were of a light tan colour. She jumped when she saw the boy sitting there, by her account at least half naked, her face beet red.

“Hey! Easy… I mean you no harm.” The boy said to her, his voice rather light and his tone very soft. She calmed down a little to try to remember what had happened, but try as she might she could only remember falling from deck. 

“W-Where am I?” she asked what she assumed to be her rescuer. She got a better look at him as she awaited an answer, taking note of his slightly muscular physique and the tail that starts to grow from below his waist. Wait, Tail?! “W-Why do you have a t-tail?!”

“Oh, you noticed huh…” The boy said in response, as if he somehow hoped that she wouldn’t. His smile didn’t seem to disappear though. “My name is Emil; we are currently beached at a grotto not far from the docks I assume you originally came from and I’m a merman.”

He said that last part so casually, Marta was at a loss for words. After she finally came to terms with what was going on and assured herself this wasn’t a dream, she finally answered.

“I-I see, well I owe you my thanks for saving me.” She replied, she held her hand out to the boy that laid on the sand. “My name is Marta.”

~

When Emil heard her introduce herself his spirits were raised. It seemed as though all things considered that she didn’t fear him, they were having a normal conversation. 

“Marta, I hope you don’t mind my asking but have you met someone like me before?’ The merman asked the girl before him. She shook her head, but she still held her smile as well.

“Never, but for some reason you feel familiar, your existence feels familiar to me.” Marta replied, trying to put into words how she was feeling in a way that he might understand. “Things like mermen and mermaids only exist in myths, yet when I see you something just tells me that all of those myths I’ve grown up hearing from other fishermen are also true.”

What followed was Marta’s recount of ‘The Tragedy of the Sea’s Child’, a legend she had heard many times growing up. The legend explained how merfolk came to be and it never said anything about them disappearing, so for her to be seeing one right now she wondered if it was all true. Emil took the entire story in, fascinated by her words, he couldn’t get enough of her human story.

By the time she had finished her story it was already past noon judging by the sun’s placement in the sky, it was then that Marta remembered.

“I have school!” She blurted out; Emil just looked at her quizzically. 

“Like a school of fish? Do you humans also live in schools?” Emil asked in reply, when Marta heard his question she just started to giggle, Emil found it adorable. 

“No, we go to school because we have lessons there, it’s a place in which we learn.” Marta replied, realisation then dawned on Emil as he understood what lessons were, he often had his own. “I need to be getting back too, Ari is probably chucking a fit.”

“If you are able to help me down to the water I can swim you back, I’m a pretty fast swimmer you know.” The boy offered; Marta nodded with excitement at the idea. Emil didn’t like the idea of having to part with Marta so soon, he still had so many questions, but she had a place to be and it wasn’t his place to keep her from it.

When they did reach the water, Emil instructed for Marta to climb onto his back, she wrapped her arms around his collarbone. Emil had not been lying when he said he was fast; this trip would be over in no time and there was still things she had wanted to ask him. On their way back she also noticed her boat was no longer on the water, her father must have found it and that would need an explanation later, one she wasn’t looking forward to. When they did reach the main beach, Emil stopped somewhere that was more hidden from public view.

“Hey um Emil..” Marta started; her voice softer as she stood up to stand in front of him as he sat in the waves that hit the shore. “Would it be alright if I saw you again?” 

Emil smiled at her question for it had been the question he was just about to ask her himself, naturally his answer was “Yes, of course!”

And so, from there Marta started heading up towards the road that led to school, and Emil turned to dive back into the ocean. They had agreed to meet up on the water tomorrow morning when she was again out on her boat. This had been more out of convenience but to Emil it was also in an act of making sure what happened today didn’t happen to her again. As the boy swam back the question of why that octopus attacked her like that still plagued his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay with this one but as we are now in the new year it is time for another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed this one, it sets the scene for the story that will transpire. Stay tuned for in the next one we will be having more of a glimpse at what goes on in our star crossed pair's everyday lives.
> 
> (I'm so sorry that I sounded like a TV announcer ^^')


	3. A Sense of Normalcy When Nothing is Normal Anymore

“Marta! Where were you!? And why are you soaked through!?” The girl with pinkish red hair around Marta’s age asked in a very alarmed tone when the strawberry blonde showed up to school in the middle of recess. 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you Ari.” The blonde said with a smile, dazing off into the briny blue of the horizon from their cliffside picnic spot she had found Arietta waiting at. “I’m not quite sure if I believe it myself…”

Marta had been referring to her encounter with the blonde boy she had met that morning, that boy that just so happened to have a tail growing from his waistline. Marta didn’t know what to make of everything that had transpired that morning, but she was positive that it had indeed happened. 

“Marta?” Arietta asked a little firmly, trying to snap her best friend back to reality. Marta apologized when she realised that she had completely missed what Arietta was saying, the other girl was happy to repeat herself though. “I was saying that you should try me, I’ve believed far stranger stories of yours with less evidence to go by, haven’t I?”

It was true, if there was anyone in the world that was going to believe Marta’s account of what had happened this morning then it would definitely be Arietta. There was no use keeping it from her, it would only make her worry- and it’s not like Emil had told her she couldn’t tell anyone about his existence, Arietta would keep it a secret if she needed to.

“Well I met this boy this morning who may have kinda been a merman…” Marta said, trailing off near the end to the point the word ‘merman’ was barely audible, but judging by the look on Arietta’s face she had heard. Arietta wore a face of disbelief, Marta could tell she had believed her, and that’s why this disbelief was plastered over her face.

“I-I don’t understand, aren’t things like mermaids and underwater kingdoms just stories the fishing elders tell us to try and get a rise out of us?” Arietta asked, clearly confused. “And that doesn’t explain why you’re soaked through…”

That part she had specifically been avoiding. Arietta definitely would have a fit if Marta told her what had happened that morning, about how she had fallen overboard and been saved from drowning by the boy in question. In all honesty she wasn’t even sure of what had happened herself, just that she woke up next to Emil on that offshore beach in the merman’s embrace. Her cheeks flushes a little red at the thought. Marta then realised that she had kept her friend waiting for quite a while without an answer, so she scrambled for one.

“Well after we met, I went swimming with him and kinda lost track of time. Sorry Ari…” Marta finally replied to the pinkette next to her. Technically that wasn’t a lie, just that she chose to keep certain things out. Arietta seemed to buy the answer given to her though, but she didn’t seem convinced.

“Marta Lualdi, I know by now not to question why it is that you are soaked, but could you please change into something a little drier?” A voice called out from behind the two. Marta turned to see two figures standing behind them. The voice in question had come from the brunette girl with teal coloured eyes, in her outstretched hand she held a spare uniform that the girls of this school wore. This was the student council president, Mystearica Grants, or Tear for short.

“Sorry Tear…” Marta said in reply, appreciative as she took the fresh uniform from the brunette. Her companion was a boy with short red hair and had teal eyes to match her own, this was Luke, her own long-time friend and vice president on the student council. Usually he would be quite vocal, but it seemed whenever Arietta was around he stayed quiet, and Arietta did the same. There was a story there but whenever Marta asked about it the topic was often changed quite quickly.

“It’s fine Marta, I only wish you would think about the image you set for the school when people see you walking around in a wet uniform, and another thing…” Tear started as she phased into one of her famous lectures about the image of the student council and the school. Marta tended to zone out these, she knew that her friend meant well but she had heard them around a hundred times already. Though right now, she had an excuse, she literally waved the conversation by waving the extra uniform, signalling she was going to go and get changed. Tear was about to protest but Luke eased her down, and naturally Arietta followed close behind Marta.

~

“Prince Emil, you understand the rules about leaving the palace walls, and without an escort no less, and during your own birthday celebrations of all times…” The brunette merman before Emil stated as he placed his head in his hand, keeping his lens frames stable as he did. “You must understand that your safety is paramount to his majesty, why you would do something so incredibly stupid is beyond me…”

“Jade, that’s enough. What my son did was reckless, but he did save a human in his attempts to sneak off, that carries some merit.” The blonde figure that sat upon the throne interjected as he saw his son start to get overwhelmed by his colonel’s slightly harsh lecture. He looked similar to Emil, naturally he looked older, his hair longer and his physique was larger and more toned. He wore gold jewelleries such as bracers, rings and a necklace. A sign of royalty for the man was Emperor Peony. 

“That doesn’t excuse you for leaving the party though Emil, a lot of people were disappointed by your absence.” A woman’s voice chimed in from next to her husband. It belonged to Emil’s mother and Peony’s wife, Nephry. “You need to think about how your actions reflect upon this kingdom Emil, not to mention that retainer of yours…”

Nephry’s speech just went on from there, Peony tried to interject but there was no such luck. Emil just waited there, lost in his own thoughts about the day earlier until he was eventually able to take his leave. By the time Emil was outside the throne room, it was then that he realised he forgot to ask his father what happened with the octopus that Kocis had brought in. ‘Another time..’ Emil thought to himself as he swam to his bedchambers.

-

“Knock knock Master!” A verbal knock came from the door as Kocis entered Emil’s room, carrying a tray of food. Emil laid on his bed, the sea sponge that made up where he laid kept it comfortable, though Emil didn’t feel it at the moment. “I figured you wouldn’t be joining us, so I brought you some food.” 

Emil was appreciative, his best friend was right about that. It wasn’t as though this was the first time that he had been scolded for leaving the palace, it never usually bothered him. But now that he had met someone from the surface, had talked to one of them, he just couldn’t understand why he wasn’t permitted to go up there. 

“I’m sorry if you got in trouble because of what I did Kocis, father is usually pretty laid back when it comes to me, but I imagine you might have gotten an earful at least…” Emil said apologetically.

“That’s no biggie Master, I’m fine!” Kocis said with a grin. That smile was powerful enough that it could lift anyone’s spirits, Emil found himself smiling as well. “If I’m able to help you be happy in any way that I can then I see that as my duty, now you must eat your food Master!”

“It’s just Emil, Kocis…” Emil said in protest, though he was still smiling. Before he could get another word out Kocis had already shoved a spoonful of the food into Emil’s mouth. Emil grabbed the spoon and chuckled, whilst saying “I can feed myself Kocis, thank you though.”

The two talked whilst Emil ate, mostly about the events of the day after Kocis had left and what Kocis had done upon his return. Turned out that when the Octopus was questioned it had no memory of the events of that morning. Kocis had claimed it didn’t seem to be lying but both Emil and Kocis knew what they saw as well, so it was a troubling situation. After a half hour passed another knock had come at Emil’s door, Kocis opened it to find Emperor Peony on the other side.

“D-Dad?” Emil said in alarm, Kocis grabbed the empty tray of food and took that as his leave. Emil might have rathered that he had stayed in the room, but he knew this conversation was coming at some point, he had just expected it from someone like his mother or the colonel.

“Did I do something to scare your friend?” Peony asked rhetorically, scratching the back of his head as he did so. Emil couldn’t help but chuckle at the joke, before returning to his silence. He entered the room and came to sit next to Emil. "I've just come to apologise for your mother. I know she.... seems strict at times. But she does love you. You're our only son after all. I will admit, when your mother has her mind set, not even I can win against her, it's better to grin and bear it. Disobey later. Don't tell her I said that though!"

Emil couldn’t help but laugh at his father’s sore attempt at humour, the display was enough to cut the tension that had lingered in the room a bit and Peony found himself laughing as well.

“So, what’s her name?” The older man asked with passing seriousness. Emil jumped at his father’s question, but that reaction had just given him away, there was no point trying to play it off now. “I might not have you all figured out at times Emil, but I know when your mind is hung up on something and I can tell this something is a girl.”

“H-Her name is M-Marta.” Emil squeaked as he tried to get the words out, this only provoked a gentle smile from the boy’s father. Emil knew that now he was going to have to explain, and this was an explanation that was gonna take a while…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to end this chapter here as I plan to cover a lot in the next chapter, also I must apologize that this chapter took so long to upload with all of the uproar from the pandemic and my studies starting back up, but I really hope you enjoyed this chapter for what it was and hopefully the next one is up soon. I plan to cover more world building like I started in this chapter (Some may have noticed with that interaction between Luke and Arietta). I can promise that Emil and Marta will also be meeting again next chapter so stay tuned!


End file.
